


deus ex machina

by itiswhatitisbutterfly



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, M/M, University, guess who harry plays, its like shakespeare plus spy missions plus film references, its the drama club vs the film club basically, the rocky horror picture show is kind of a thing, the sex in here is just really cute its not even sexy at all, youll have to read to find out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-17
Updated: 2014-06-17
Packaged: 2018-02-05 00:18:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1798603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itiswhatitisbutterfly/pseuds/itiswhatitisbutterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry accidentally gets himself stuck in the middle of a university standoff that spans faculties and engages him in boarder line illegal sabotage missions all in the name of Louis Tomlinson’s drama club. But all is fair in love and university club wars. </p><p>(Featuring drunk performances of Shakespeare, silly boys with crushes, more film name drops than metaphors and a bit of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	deus ex machina

**Author's Note:**

> I've been trying to write this Uni AU for so long, I've finally finished it and it feels so good. 
> 
> I sort of dedicate this to my University (and it's very constant brewing club tensions) as I am about to go into my last semester and feel like this is an ode to that. That is why most of the buildings, or things like classes are based around my University. (For example, I know you can't take multi disciplinary subjects/papers/classes at British Universities but I can so that's what they do although it is safe to assume this is a normal Brit based fic.)
> 
> Deus ex Machina is a film term that originally means 'god from the machine' and is a plot device which is when the seemingly unsolvable problem is solved but the entry of a new event, character, object or ability. It normally brings the happy ending. The convention in a Greek tragedy was to bring a god onto the stage with a machine to solve the plot. 
> 
> Last but not least, please don't take offence I don't hate film students nor do I hate drama students. I am both technically. I'm being mean to me and the people I know first and foremost.

Harry had never been such a firm believer in fate and destiny then when by some miracle by God himself he made it to his introduction to Shakespeare paper on time one sad rainy Monday morning. It was a miracle to say the least. Divine intervention to say the most.

He’s three weeks into classes and not once has he ever been able to force himself to do this. But for some reason he is here bright and early, beanie covering his cold ears sitting and waiting. It’s not that he is super thankful he gets to read _The Comedy of Errors_ at 8 o’clock, the miracle is bearing witness to the most beautiful human being he has ever seen.

He is small but not too small, Harry’s sleep deprived mind thinks. He looks like a pixie, if pixies had lots of tattoos and wore hooded sweatshirts. He isn’t sure if it is a lack of sleep induced coma but he is practically drooling and wants to buy whatever this boy is selling.

“Hey, I’m Louis Tomlinson,” he says leaning down slightly over the microphone to talk to the half full lecture hall. He laughs to himself slightly as he notices how many people aren’t here. “Fuck I hated this class,” Louis says with a really lovely smile. He raises his hands at their lecturer in surrender. “I don’t hate you though Ben, just the 8 o’clock mornings.”

 _Louis_ , Harry thinks. Such a perfect name.

Harry has no idea why Louis is standing up there talking but it doesn’t really matter. He could be talking about anything for all he cares, he sounds perfect. Harry counts himself lucky for sitting so close to the front, he can practically count the number of hairs in his fringe and watch his blue eyes scan the room. He has really lovely eyelashes, he hopes to tell him that one day. 

Louis fiddles with some posters in his hands and starts to talk again, “I’m doing my masters and I’m the newly appointed president of the drama society as of today, the best club on campus.”

Nobody says anything. The crowd is eerily silent. Probably because they all know the drama club is definitely not something people join. People join the dessert club because they fancy the idea of cupcakes and conversation. People join the meat club because you get to go to an eating contest.

Nobody wants to join the drama club and paint sets or some other shit, as their tour guide had told them on their campus orientation.

But Harry thinks then and there, the drama club sounds like a dream. No matter how lame everyone appears to think it is. If Louis is there how could it not be the best club on campus? That is definitely not false advertising.

“You don’t have to be a drama major to join, anyone can. We watch plays sometimes, you get a discount to the costume hire place downtown, and there is always free food! But the best part, we do midnight screenings of _Rocky Horror_ at the end of the semester.”

Harry has never seen _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_.

“If you want a flyer put your hand up, thanks for your time!”

Harry puts his hand straight up.

 

“I think I might be in love,” Harry says to Niall while they sit at a table eating lunch.

“I’ve heard that before,” Niall replies with a mouth full of food and a external plus internal groan. This does happen about once a month. But more often than not it is book or a kitten at a pet store Harry is referring to, not a real life human being boy of his dreams.

Harry pulls the flyer out of his pocket and places it on their table in the cafe they are eating at. Niall picks it up to inspect it, his lips quirking up into a small smile.

“I’m joining the drama club,” Harry tells him with a smile. He bats his eyelashes. “Would you care to join with me? Moral support? Wing man?”

Niall shakes his head starting to laugh.

“Don’t laugh. Louis Tomlinson is perfect, alright? He might be a god, I need to investigate further,” Harry says pointing to where Louis’ name is printed on the sheet.

“You shouldn’t join clubs for boys Harry,” Niall says. One philosophy paper and he thinks he can get deep now.

Harry snatches his paper back. “No different than you joining for girls.”

Niall shrugs. “You don’t even like drama. You can’t act for shit.”

Harry puts his flyer back in his bag and folds his arms defeated. “Well, maybe I can get some extra lessons.”

“One on one lessons with a certain person,” Niall winks. Harry decides then are there that Niall isn't even invited to join any more. He doesn't need that sort of negativity in his plan and he doesn't need people who aren't dedicated to the cause. 

 

It’s a Thursday night a week later when Harry darts out of class and makes a run for it toward the drama meeting. He doesn’t want to be late, especially when he doesn’t know anyone going. Or where he is going. 

It’s while Harry makes brisk of the stairs that he sort of ponders he doesn’t know anything about drama. He isn’t a drama student. He is an English student who just happens to take a multi paper where he reads plays instead of novels. He considers that he may have absolutely nothing to contribute to this group, other than staring at Louis’ thighs.

Whatever, he is coming for a cute boy anyway not to contribute a psychoanalytical approach to Oscar Wilde. That is a just a bonus. 

Harry stops running and catches his breath as he walks down the long narrow hallway of the human sciences building. He isn’t scared. It’s not like this is the worst building on campus. A light flickers then turns off behind him. Alright, he is totally scared. Rumour has it you can get to the chamber of secrets through the bathroom on the bottom floor. Also, there is a pesky rumour if you get lost down here underground, they psychology professors will use you for research.

Harry hopes they are just rumours to scare the first years. Not that he wouldn’t love to go into the chamber of secrets. He doesn’t hear the foot steps behind him. But he does hear someone say, “Boo.”

Harry twists his entire body raising his arms and almost falling back. His heart jumps as it echoes down the long narrow corridor.

He is of course greeted with the cunning smile of Louis Tomlinson, president of the drama club and even more breathtaking up close and personal. Great way to introduce yourself, Harry thinks as he lowers his hand to press over his rapidly beating heart. It’s now beating from fear and from being entirely overwhelmed. He is so close to Louis. He is better up close, so much better.

He gulps down a breath. “Hi,” he swallows shakily.

Louis stands their holding a cardboard box and laughing manically at Harry’s expense like this has just made his day. He looks really amazing so Harry doesn’t complain, just scratches the back of his neck.

“Oops. Sorry,” Louis says stepping forward and extending his hand, “I’m Louis, I’d say I didn’t mean to scare you but I did.”

Harry extends his shaking hand and lets Louis shake it. His hands are lovely. He is just lovely in general, he has a jumper on and some really tight black jeans. They’re almost as tight as Harry’s, but not quite. But those legs covered in tight black material stand staunch and wide. Harry adverts his eyes from where he is looking because it makes him want to crowd into a corner and faint. Louis is just so magical. Definitely a heavenly creature. 

“’M Harry,” Harry says letting go of his hand.

“Harry,” Louis says rolling it around in his mouth, “Are you lost? Are you looking for the chamber of secrets?”

Harry Potter joke. That is always a good start. But apparently Harry doesn’t look like he type of person who would frequent the drama club? Not so great start then he supposes.

“No,” Harry says shyly, “I’m looking for the drama meeting.”

Louis’ eyes light up and he raises his eyebrows. “I gave you a flyer didn’t I. Follow me then,” he says as he steps past Harry and they fall into a rhythm of walking down this very straight and narrow corridor.

He remembers Harry. Harry is taking that as a sign.

“You don’t believe all those rumours about this building do you Harry?”

Harry isn’t sure what he is supposed to believe. “No.”

“Good, because none of them are true.”

A light flickers off again and they turn a corner. “It’s not haunted, just creepy as fuck,” Louis says in response to the light situation. They can also hear someone manically laughing.

“Why do you hold the meeting here then?” Harry asks, genuinely wondering. 

Louis smirks and shakes his head saying, “We aren’t really the most popular group on campus if I am being entirely honest, we have more enemies than friends.”

They stop in front of a door and Louis motions for Harry to go in before him. He shuffles in awkwardly. If he was expecting something grand he was very wrong. There is like no one in the room. And he doesn't know why he is surprised. 

“And well, we aren’t very big,” Louis says quietly, just to Harry. 

Harry asks him if he needs help but he shakes his head so Harry sits down quietly next to a girl that has pink hair and dark kohl rimmed eyes. He thinks he recognises her but doesn't want to be that person. He instead focuses on trying to pin point if he knows anyone else in the room. He is out of luck. 

“You’re in my women studies class!” she says smiling and prodding his arm. 

“Really?” Harry says awkwardly. There are only like five other people in the room and they all look at him.

“Jade,” she says to get the attention of the girl next to him, “It’s the headband boy.”

Harry blushes and fidgets with his sleeves. Headband boy. Niall is going to love that. He flicks his eyes to Louis who seems to be listening while appearing not to. His tell tale smirk gives it away. 

“Harry!” the other girl, Jade,  says leaning over.

“How do you know my name?”

“There are only three boys in our women studies class it wasn’t hard to find it out.”

“Well, alright. I’m Harry,” he says anyway, because if he is going to stick this out he might need friends. Plus, they seem nice.

“I’m Perrie, and this is Jade,” the pink haired one says.

Right on cue, as if to save him from this terrible introduction Niall Horan himself walks through the door. He has a snapback and sweatpants on, tumbling through leaving a mess in his path to sit down next to Harry with a small wave to everyone as if they are best mates already. 

“Thought you were too cool?” Harry frowns.

“Changed my mind, figured I could meet some girls. Kiss them if it’s necessary, you know drama stuff and plus I’ve blown my budget. I need a free feed.”

Harry smiles and pats him on the shoulder. Those are some good reasons. Probably better than joining because the president is breathtaking to look at. Only two more boys walk through the door, one of them carrying a pizza and then Louis is starting the meeting.

“You all know I’m Louis,” he says introducing himself again. He points to the boy on his left, he has short brown hair and looks really muscular. “This is Liam Payne, _technically_ not a member but a representative from the board I force to sign us off because I threaten to kick him out of our flat if he doesn’t.”

Liam shakes his head and Louis laughs. It is like music to Harry’s ears and he isn’t even exaggerating.

“This is Zayn,” he says motioning to the boy on his right. He is wearing a comic book shirt and staring every few seconds in the direction of Harry. It takes Harry only a moment to figure out that he is looking at Perrie, she keeps ducking her head and blushing. This boy has god like features, and that is all Harry can think. He looks like he should be a model not hanging in the drama club. But he should definitely be hanging out with Louis, mutual attractiveness and all that. Maybe they are both are Greek gods together. They escaped Olympus to toy with mere mortals like Harry.

“He’s a spy. He used to be in the drama club before he traded us in for the film club,” Louis says obviously teasing him. Zayn shakes his head and grumbles something.

“I’m joking partly. I made him do it. Hopefully soon he will be the president of the film club and we can actually be friends with the film club again.”

Harry is confused. So is everyone else it seems.

Perrie puts her hand up. “Louis you told us all we would be collaborating with the film club?” she says grumpily.

“And we will be! As soon as Zayn is president. Minor technicalities, we’ll discuss it soon don’t panic Perrie.”

The girls don’t seem happy with that answer.

“How about we-“ Liam starts.

“Hey it’s my club Liam! If you don’t follow my rules you can just leave the alright?” Louis interrupts.

Harry lets his chin drop into his hands resting their elbows on the table. Louis is authoritative. Harry wonders if that passes over to the way he is in the bedroom.

“Everyone should introduce themselves and why they are here.”

Harry isn’t a good liar. It’s fact.

“I’m Eleanor, I’m only here because Louis makes me sign up every year,” a brunette haired girl says.

“You’re also an actress Eleanor don’t forget that,” Louis says smiling at her.

“I’m Sophia. I’m only here because Liam is my boyfriend.”

Perrie’s group of friends all introduce themselves, there are four of them all together.

“I’m Jesy.”

“I’m Leigh Anne.”

“And I’m Jade, we all joined all last apart from Perrie she’s new.”

“Yea, I’m Perrie. I’m new and I joined because I need more friends.”

Harry’s palms sweat. He is going to have to lie about this, while everyone is looking at and listening to him. “I’m Harry,” he starts with a small wave. Louis is watching him and that is only making him more erratic, “I joined because I ah- have a real passion for the dramatic arts.”

It’s bullshit but whatever. He has a passion for Louis Tomlinson that’s the same thing.

His answer is better than Niall’s however. “I’m Niall, I joined because Harry wanted to join because of some fit guy.”

Harry’s hand instantly goes to cover his own face. Everyone in the room laughs and Harry can feel himself burning up. There aren’t that many guys in the room and he is totally blushing now. Harry guesses that is one way to be introduced.

“That’s not true,” he says weakly.

“It’s alright,” Louis says with a wink. Harry is fucked. And then he adds, “We’ve all got a crush on Zayn don’t worry.”

Wrong. Well Zayn is appealing. Harry blushes anyway and flicks Niall’s ear. Harry is able to hide his embarrassment as a few other boys introduce themselves. They all apparently joined because Louis threatened to throw fruit at them if they didn’t, he also promised there would be girls.

Louis grabs a pen a whacks it against the table three times in quick succession. “Do you reckon this could like pass for a gavel?”

Harry laughs when no one else does. Liam says no but Louis uses it anyway. He clears his throat.

“I guess this meeting is kind of officially started then. Liam pass around the forms,“ Louis says as Liam does so.

“So,” Louis says twirling the pen in his fingers, “You are all probably aware that this club has a reputation for being,” he tilts his head to the side, “Not well liked.”

Harry has no idea. He has been here for three weeks. He still can’t locate the toilets in most buildings let alone know things about the politics of clubs.

“Basically,” Louis says noticing most of the new member’s confusion, “I’m going to be honest here. The drama club has never been good. Drama people just find it hard to work together alright? We bicker and are too loud and kick each other out or whatever! The point is we’re just dramatic.”

Everyone seems to be following along nicely so Louis continues. “Which means we get a lot of bitter people. Bad blood. Last year someone was out to get the club, I’m not naming names-“ Louis says with an eye roll.

Most of the older students laugh. Niall and Harry just look at each other.

“But let’s say he is the president of the film society and also a writer on the magazine.”

Harry still doesn’t know what or who they are talking about.

“Louis,” Liam says kindly. “You should probably make them sign the forms before you start _ranting_.”

Harry looks down at the form he has been handed. It seems pretty straight forward so he fills his name and number out and signs away. He doesn’t really care, he just wants to spend time with Louis and that discount at the costume hire place sounds pretty good. You never know when you need a costume.

“What is this fight club?” Perrie giggles next to him.

“It is Perrie. First rule of drama club don’t talk about drama club,” Louis deadpans.

“He’s joking!” Eleanor says, “Partly.”

“You can brag about how cool we are to anyone sure, but don’t go spreading things around that shouldn’t be spread around. Especially to anyone in film.”

Harry can see Niall hovering his pen over the dotted line and he shoves him gently. Beneath his breath he says, “Just sign it please.”

“I feel like I’m joining a gang,” he says as he slowly writes his name down.

“It's drama geeks calm down. We aren’t going to kill anyone.”

Harry deep down wasn’t quite sure to be entirely honest. Because the next minute things get a little bit more out of hand. 

“Zayn is infiltrating the film club. When they hold elections he is going to get voted in,” Louis says pointing to the power point slide show. “So then Nick Grimshaw will be gone.”

“He’ll still be on the magazine,” Liam says.

“One step at a time,” Louis replies switching slides. “Then we can merge the groups. We get back the monopoly of the theatres and cinemas, we get back all the members that left plus we get our student association funding back.”

“Why did you lose the funding?” Harry asks timidly.

“We don’t have enough members,” Louis says sadly.

“How does _Rocky Horror_ come into this?” Leigh Anne asks.

“Yeah,” Jade adds.

Louis points his pen gavel at them. “That!” he says, “Is the goal. We merge the groups take back my midnight screening and then we disbanded the film club altogether.”

Harry has never been so turned on and slightly scared in his life before. It’s kind of exciting.

“I hate to bring the whole ‘taking over the world one club at a time’ mood down Louis, but do we actually have any club related activities planned or?” Eleanor says shuffling her notes.

“We’re ah-“ Louis says shuffling his papers around, “We’ll there is a play on next Friday night at the Black Box, we’re gonna do some drunk Shakespeare if we can pick a play and we have a pub crawl before midsemester, and then _Rocky Horror_ if we can sort it out."

Niall pats Harry on the back. “This is going to be great.”

Harry agrees he just wonders if he can be the Romeo to Louis’ Juliet. Or the Beatrice to his Benedict. Or something along those lines.

 

When Harry successfully navigates his way to the meeting a week later carrying a cake and a long list of Shakespeare he thinks will sound cool when intoxicated in a few weeks time he arrives to a room of empty and sad faces. Plus some sad empty boxes of pizza. Harry throws his bag on the table.

“I’m taking it something bad has happened,” Harry say timidly.

“Zayn got kicked out of the film society,” Louis says regretfully.

“They figured he was a spy,” Perrie adds.

“They were pretentious anyway,” Zayn says staring out the door. Louis slaps a hand on his shoulder, nodding in agreement. “Wouldn’t want them in our club,” he continues.

Something seems to click inside Louis head at that moment. He smiles only slightly. “Harry,” he says turning to look toward Harry.

Harry is already panting because he just ran down the corridor to get here. But now when Louis looks at him, like really looks at him, he feels like he may need his inhaler. Why is Louis staring? Does he not like his double plaid look?

“You’re quirky Harry,” Louis says as if pondering a thought.

Okay. Maybe he does dig his dress sense. Harry’s heart rate quickens. Was that a compliment?

“Thanks,” Harry stammers outs.

A few people in the room laugh and Louis shakes his head. “You’re perfect,” he says standing up.

Alright Harry is now definitely going to either pass out, get hard or both.

“Harry will be our spy. He won’t be able to be elected or anything but it’s better than nothing.”

Wait. What?

“You want me to join the film club?” Harry gapes.

He thinks they may overestimate his acting abilities. He enjoys the dramatic arts as in watching not performing.

“Yes,” Louis says, “Maybe not join, just visit.”

Everyone else seems to think it is an excellent idea. “I’m a shit actor,” Harry tells Louis panicking.

“It’s true,” Niall adds.

“He’ll be fine,” Louis says, “I’ll coach him.”

Harry couldn’t say yes fast enough after that.

 

Louis asks Harry if he needs someone to walk him to his dorm when they all pack up after planning their trip to see _Cloud 9_ at the Black Box tomorrow night. Harry tells him he most definitely needs a companion. He rushes over to Niall and his crowd of female admirers and quickly whispers, “Louis is walking me back to our dorm please pretend like you don’t know us I do not need your third wheeling.”

Niall salutes him and leaves with Barbara on his arm as fast as possible. Harry is thankful he has such a good wingman. He doesn’t need Louis knowing that they normally walk back together because their rooms are next door to each other.

Harry waits until Louis is finished whatever it is he is doing and everyone is gone. He feels pretty cool when Zayn calls him mate and tells him he will see him tomorrow with an eye roll. Harry is actually really excited about the play tomorrow night. Apparently nobody else is. Apart from Louis.

Louis flicks the light switch off. “Alright to go?” he asks Harry.

Harry nods. He wants to hold Louis hand. But he just nods and smiles.

The thing is for all of Harry’s talk and walk he is very limited in the whole actual execution of it. He used to find it so easy to talk to girls, until he realised that that was because he just wanted to talk to them. And be their friends. And that sort of made sense.

Harry turns into a blubbery mess around pretty boys. Like complete sweaty palms and nervous heart beats. And Louis seems to be multiplying that by ten.

“Am I allowed to google this play then?” Harry asks as they walk out into the chilly air.

Louis laughs and his eyes twinkle it immediately starts to put Harry at ease, he feels calmer now as he preens under his attention. “Were you not listening Harold? It will be a good surprise.”

 Harry doesn’t know. Nor does he tell him that isn't his name. “You think I’ll like it?”

Louis stops suddenly under a street light. Harry stops with him. Louis grabs his hand suddenly and Harry almost faints. They are making contact, physical contact under a street light. He is in a film noir. He pictures the scene in black and white, he should have worn a trench coat. Does that mean he is the femme fatal? That doesn’t really seem right though Louis is more deceiving and harder to understand. Harry is definitely the detective then. Oh that makes sense, since he will be going undercover.

Louis examines his thumb finger. “Is this red nail polish?” he asks softly.

Harry looks down at his thumb. It is half filled in with scratched red nail polish. He blushes. He didn’t think anyone would notice.

“Yes,” Harry says. He slowly tries to pull his hand back embarrassed. But Louis doesn’t let go. He just rubs his thumb over it a few times before letting it go gently with a faint smile on his lips.

“Harry,” he says kindly and very seriously, “You’re going to love the play.”

“Alright,” Harry says as they start walking again. He puts his hands in his pockets.

After a moment of silence Louis says. “I like it by the way.”

Harry doesn’t quite catch on.

“The nail polish,” Louis adds with a coy smile.

“Thanks,” Harry adds slightly preening. He is being totally obvious here isn’t he. He takes his hands out of his pockets.

They cross a road together the cool air still mulling between them. “So about the whole film club thing-” Louis starts. He sounds guilty. “You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to do it. Sorry if I pressured you.”

Harry shakes his head. “I want to do it.”

Louis doesn’t seem so convinced, he huffs out a breath and says, “It’s my war to wage Harry you don’t have to.”

“No. It’s the whole clubs war. And I like the whole war thing, its exciting,” Harry says feeling very cool that he is a part of the club. He is on the inside, although that inside isn’t very exclusive nor sought after. But it’s like an uncool secret society.

“Well if you want to-“

“I do want to! I’m just not sure if I’ll do a good job of it,” Harry says hinting.

Louis bites his bottom lip. They aren’t far from the dorm now.

“You should come over and we can go over things,” Louis tells him, “I’ll find a good time and tell you tomorrow.”

Harry smiles. He gets to see Louis two nights in a row. And one of those nights will be like almost a date with a few extra added people. He nods. “That’s great.”

Harry falls asleep thinking of how Louis was so soft. He was so nice when he walked along side Harry. Like all his attention was for Harry. Harry didn’t feel scared he felt so at ease. Louis makes him feel happy. Harry closes his eyes rubbing his thumb.

 

Louis sits next to Harry during the play. It isn’t a big deal. Their fingers sort of maybe brush just a tiny bit at one point. Also not a big deal. Harry tries not to read into it all but he thinks maybe they are soul mates.

He isn’t even the one that instigates the sitting next to each other thing Louis just shoves Niall out of the way and sits down. He lets Harry drink from his drink as well. So like _technically_ they sort of shared salvia and Louis didn’t even flinch. Another thing Harry will add to his list of reasons he likes Louis in his journal when he gets home. Next to his list of reasons why he should stop procrastinating doing his course work. 

When they emerge from the dark theatre Louis can’t stop smiling at Harry. “I knew you would love it,” he says proudly.

Harry feels like jumping up and down in the street. “It’s like,” he waves his hands around, “It just fucks up your entire idea of what gender and sexuality is supposed to look like!”

“It sort of scared me,” Leigh Anne tells the girls, “But in a good way.”

“I didn’t get it,” Niall says raising his hands in defence confused and slightly scared.

“Neither did I,” Perrie adds sounding guilty. Zayn pops up beside her almost instantly, “I’ll explain it.”

They all end up at a pub where they shout at each other and debate over beer. Well, at least the ones who don’t pair off to make out in dark corners do.

“All the cross casting makes the same sex relationships into heterosexual ones,” Harry says drunkenly trying to use his hands to explain. He fuses two fingers together intertwined to try and convey his point. He accidentally hits a glass. Louis nods along.

“I still don’t understand it!” Niall says completely done letting his head flop into his hands. Eleanor rubs his shoulders telling him to breathe in and out. Barbara glares at her.

Louis raises his hand but still keeping his eyes on Harry, “Do you think that was her playing it safe?”

Perrie and Zayn nod together and then smile when they notice.

“No,” Harry says dramatically slamming his fist down. “It makes them seem normative because they are normal.”

“Why does a hundred years pass but they only age 25 years?” Niall wails. Someone hands him a beer and he stops.

Louis giggles into Harry’s neck. “This is so much fun,” Harry shouts over the live band playing.

“Colonial oppression and sexual oppression are paralleled and my mind can’t piece together why at the moment,” Louis giggles.

“Talk theory to me,” Harry dead pans in what his drunken mind tells him is his most alluring voice.

Louis gets the joke and tries to hum the tune but fails miserably into a fit of laughs.

“Get off each other, get off me,” Liam says shoving the two of them who have apparently taken over his personal space with their giggly cuddle fest in the booth.

It’s then that Harry notices that everyone is staring at them. It’s quite a few people all looking at Harry’s arm wrapped around Louis.

Louis seems to notice the lull in conversation and the increasing awkwardness. “Well,” he says extracting himself from a now sad Harry, “We should get more drinks.”

Everyone immediately agrees and everyone starts talking and Louis is grabbed by Zayn. They disappear to the bar and Harry now has a very sad cold space next to him.

“What is that?” Niall says poking Harry’s dimple with his finger.

“Nothing,” Harry says obviously lying and swatting Niall's pesky hand away. He can’t help but smile and when Niall mocks him by repeating it and rolling his eyes he adds, “It just kind of happened!”

“Styles gets his way, no one can resist that charm,” Niall says raising a very empty glass.

“He always does,” Harry laughs. It’s a total lie. He barely ever gets his way, hence limited boy experience.

Louis doesn’t really pay much attention to Harry after that. They all play a round of pool and Harry has to settle for Perrie trying to lean over from behind him to shoot it properly. It doesn’t make Louis jealous or anything. On his next turn he tries Niall and he swears he can see Louis clench his jaw.

But he keeps a proper distance between them. Harry isn’t sure what he is supposed to do. He thinks he might have been coming on too strong and fast. He doesn’t even know if Louis likes boys let alone if he likes Harry so much to let him snuggle him and make jokes about talking dirty.

He retreats slightly at that thought. He probably made him uncomfortable. But Louis makes dick jokes all the time.

The only other contact he gets from Louis is a one armed pat on the back hug as he crawls into a taxi.

“Niall,” Harry whines, “Niall,” Harry repeats grabbing his face.

“What?”

“I ruined it,” Harry tells him in the backseat.

Niall pulls his grip from his cheeks and Harry pouts. “You’re so dramatic,” Niall says looking out the window.

“You’re mean,” Harry says folding his arms. He is tired and heartbroken can’t he get some sympathy around here?

Niall laughs. “You know Louis asked me how you were getting home. He was concerned about you and your inability to walk in a straight line right now.”

Harry’s entire face lights up. Louis cares. And Louis is cute. And Niall is a good friend.

“I take it back you aren’t mean,” Harry says grabbing onto him. “Do you want to talk about Louis’ eyelashes Niall?”

Niall pets his hair as they draw closer and closer back to their dorm. “Not really, I’ll listen though.”

 

Harry wakes up slightly hung over and hungry. He is eating cereal and grumpily watching Niall go about life without a single hint of feeling sick when Louis texts him.

Harry wishes he could feel special for having Louis’ number but technically Louis gave it out to everyone at the first meeting. It required no effort. Harry has only text him two times. Once to give him his own number and a second time to ask what time the meeting started (stupid stupid stupid).

“ _I forgot to ask you when a good time is to go over things for you know what! Is tomorrow morning good?_ ” Harry rereads it like fifty times before breathing properly.

He doesn’t bother asking Niall for help because he can still remember last night and he can remember Niall laughing at him and his monologue about the wonder of Louis and his eyelashes. Harry types out a quick reply and tries really hard to not try and be funny but fails miserably, “ _Right the thing that shall not be named, tomorrow is fine! Just give me your address._ ”

Louis texts his address back quickly with a reminder that Harry can come over any time tomorrow. Harry figures now he has Louis’ number and address they are on friend basis. Maybe quite possibly best friend basis.

He spends the entirety of his Saturday planning his outfit.

 

Harry tentatively knocks on the door of the flat in two quick successions. He wants to seem confident but not overly enthusiastic. He barley has to wait before Louis is flinging the door open and Harry is greeted with his lovely face. Harry had already text him this morning telling him he was on his way and asking if he should bring some food or something. Harry didn’t listen when Louis told him not to bother, he brought cookies. 

“Hello Harold,” Louis greets him loud and cheerfully with raised arms.

“Hi,” Harry replies shuffling his feet around. This is going to be a long morning if he can’t get it together and keep it together around Louis.

“Welcome to our humble abode,” he says as he ushers Harry forward to walk through the door. He does and he is greeted into the flat. He knows Zayn lives here and if he remembers correctly so does Liam.

Harry has only ever been in one other proper University flat before. His sister’s which was surprisingly very boring and clean, he doesn’t think that counts. Neither does his and Niall’s dorm rooms. This however is a proper flat. It seems super cool and there is a poster of iron man on the wall. If Harry had to describe the smell it would be a mixture between boy and man.

“This is nice,” Harry says honestly spinning around to take everything in.

Louis laughs and pats him on the back pushing him slightly toward the couch. “Make yourself at home Harry.”

Harry sits down in front of the television falling into the sofa not so gracefully. He smiles up at Louis trying to play it off as something totally normal. He suddenly remembers what is in his left hand.

“I’ve got cookies!” Harry says proudly, “I didn’t listen to your advice.”

He places them on the table and Louis laughs louder watching him. “You want tea or something Harry?” he says as he walks backwards toward the kitchen.

“Yes,” Harry says quickly then adds, “Please.”

Harry plays with the ring on his right hand and a thread on his purple jumper. He is in Louis Tomlinson’s flat, this is great. Like Harry had previously doubted his seduction techniques for many years, he just never used to get very far but now he is pretty sure he is killing it.

“I know you’ve got her number can’t you just leave your phone unlocked and let me take it?”

Harry is trying not to listen but he can’t help but hear that come from the kitchen. It sounds like Zayn and Harry’s ears perk up at the conversation.

“Louis,” he whines, “I’m just asking for one thing.”

“I’m not giving you her number it’s not that hard to ask her for it,” Louis says over the kettle boiling.

Harry senses Zayn has given up his fight as hears feet shuffle out of the kitchen. Harry fixes his gaze to look out a window.

“Why is there a Harry Styles on our couch?”

Harry looks up at Zayn and smiles timidly. Zayn is wearing glasses and looks very sleepy like he just woke up.

“Leave him alone,” Louis shouts.

“Hi,” Harry says with a wave.

“Seriously, what are you doing here?” Zayn asks curious.

“Plotting the take downs, turning him into more of hipster the usual,” Louis says poking his head out the kitchen door, “Do you want sugar in your tea Harry?”

“One please,” Harry replies.

Zayn looks at him for a moment mulling over what Louis said. “Why wasn’t I invited?”

“Sorry Zaynie.”

Harry looks down at his hands. “If you want Perrie’s number you should just ask. She runs the bake stall in the quad on a Thursday for the women’s refuge.”

Zayn blushes. And then he mumbles out a quiet, “Thanks.”

“You want a cookie?” Harry says with a smile pointing down at his cookies. Zayn takes one and sits next to him on the sofa.

Louis comes out of the kitchen holding two mugs and Zayn frowns at him as he places them down on the side table.

“So what is the plan?” Zayn asks as he sits empty handed, no tea.

Harry sips his and looks to Louis for an answer.

“Well, Harry is going to go to their film screening party whatever thing on Tuesday and just gather some facts and things.”

Harry nods it sounds like a fine plan. Apart from the fact that he will know nobody. He can get over that part though.

“What’s your favourite film Harry?” Zayn asks.

Harry bits his bottom lip. He may as well be honest. “Probably _The Notebook_. Or maybe _Love Actually_.”

Zayn stares at Louis and blinks slowly. Louis sighs, “It’s not that bad.”

Zayn arches his eyebrows. But Louis defiantly says, “Look,” and to prove his point he says, “Harry, I like your boots.”

Harry looks down at his brown boots. “Thanks, their new. Well, actually they aren’t I got them at this second hand place but they were new.”

“See!” Louis shouts, “He’ll be fine.”

“You can’t go around saying your favourite movie is _The Notebook_ Harry, they will kick you out,” Zayn says quietly munching on a cookie.

Harry figured. “But I do look the part,” he says turning his head to smile at Louis on the other side of him. Louis nods. “Maybe I should just not talk,” Harry finishes.

Louis grabs his phone from the side table mumbling to himself as he goggles, “Top ten indie films.”

 

The film club is really fancy. They hand him a glass as Harry walks in and he realises everyone just looks so cool. It’s really big, there are so many people and Harry finds it a bit overwhelming.

Louis and Zayn had told him since had missed the induction meetings and such he would have to find the sign up table somewhere. Since the drama club was so popular people could sign up whenever they liked, they just didn’t get all the perks you would have gotten if you signed up on time. Technically you can do that with any club but it's very nice or their behalf people argue since they are so highly regarded. 

Harry searches the crowd and finds the table among the throngs of people in the foyer of the room. He shuffles along toward it with his glass in his hand avoiding a few awkward stares.

“Hi,” he says to the guy at the table. He has a really big quiff of hair and stares at Harry like Harry just walked in from another planet. Maybe he just doesn’t like the hat.

“You’re new,” he says handing him a form.

“Do you not get new people?” Harry smiles forcefully.

“Not new people as nice as you,” he says with a wink giving him a pen.

Harry takes then pen and wait what- is _this_ Nick Grimshaw.

“Are you Nick Grimshaw?” Harry says without thinking. Oops.

The guy smirks. “Who’s asking?”

Um. “Harry Styles.”

Harry fills out his form and grumpily has to pay five dollars for a membership card but thinks of Louis and is okay with it.

He then mingles. He somehow gets pulled into a circle of people nodding and chatting. He mostly stares off into the distance surveying the area for interesting evidence and humming his approval when everyone else does.

“-And I made him watch it with me and I pointed out every phallic object just to try and help him understand what I was talking about but he didn’t get it-“

“Phallic object?” Harry says upon recognition, his head spinning around and his eyes spotting a girl across the circle from him. What are they talking about he wants to join. His eyes spark open.

The blonde headed girl smiles. “Phallic objects in _Alien_. The whole movie is about dicks and wombs watch it and think of that it will be a whole new experience.”

Harry mentally stores that in the back of his mind for later. But other than that and a very sad Swedish film about a child vampire Harry gets literally nothing out of the film society. (He got a coupon for a French cinema downtown, but he isn’t counting that.)

 

Harry lies with his head against his pillows staring at his ceiling. He has a report to write but instead he is talking on the phone to Louis and doesn’t want to do anything else. “He just said hello to me then I think he might have flirted with me, but I’m not sure nor do I want to presume-“

“He definitely flirted with you,” Louis bites across the phone. Even just hearing his voice Harry can pick up his expression and tone.

“He might just be friendly. But Louis that was about it.”

“Alright.”

“They didn’t have a dart board with your face on it. I only heard one girl say that she thought about joining the drama club but changed her mind because she quote ‘needed culture’ unquote.”

“Alright.”

Harry frowns. “Did I do a bad job?”

“No,” Louis practically shouts. “You did fine. I just don’t know what to do anymore.”

“Maybe you should just focus on our club instead of theirs,” Harry murmurs, with good intention.

Louis mumbles back like he knows exactly what Harry means. “I know. But it’s just so hard to do anything when we can’t -“

“Focus on the fact that we are getting drunk and performing _Much Ado About Nothing_. It's my favourite!”

Louis giggles and Harry covers his face with his palm. Success.

“Okay.”

“Okay, hey Lou?”

“Yes.”

“Have you ever seen _Alien_?”

 

“Harry,” Niall says grabbing Harry’s forearm and steadying him. “You’re going to fall over.”

“Please don’t throw up on the floor,” Louis says from his other side, “We aren’t even supposed to be in here doing this. I told them this was totally sober.”

Harry sighs. “I’m fine,” he says as he stands back into position. He isn’t going to throw up or anything stupid, he isn’t _that_ bad. He is more on a high from the fact that he is playing Hero and Louis is his Claudio.

If he is being honest he would rather they were Beatrice and Benedict but beggars can’t be losers. Choosers? Losers? He doesn’t understand that meaning of anything.

He is about ninety nine percent sure Louis rigged the randomised draw of names and made sure they were playing against each other. Because there is no way fate loves them this much, and there is no way Zayn and Perrie ended up playing Beatrice and Benedict without a little divine intervention. But then again Harry hasn’t ruled out the possibility that Louis is a god himself, so it all seems very plausible.

Harry stares at his glass before saying a quick prayer and apology to his liver. He gulps it down and Niall pats him on the back. Drinking every time you break character seemed like a good idea an hour or two ago. It doesn’t feel that smart now his head is starting to spin and he can’t stop laughing.

It’s fine. He is fine. All he has to do is marry Claudio and then he can fall onto the floor.

Louis tries his best to be serious as he takes Harry’s hands but he giggles slightly, which makes Harry cover his mouth with the back of his hand behind his adjusted veil.

“Give me your hand before this holy friar. I am your husband if you like me,” Louis says slurring his words slightly and almost dropping his copy of the play.

Harry gives up. He can’t help the stupid noise that escapes his mouth and the fit of giggles he lets out. He actually like snorts.

“Drink!” someone calls from across the stage.

Harry pouts and Niall, as the friar, hands him his glass again. It’s definitely a sight. He drinks again and finishes the glass.

Harry pulls off his veil and says, “And when I lived I was your other wife; and when you loved, you were my other husband.”

He finishes the sentence with a hiccup. Louis contorts his face to try and not break out. He fakes shock and gets down on his knees spreading his hands dramatically.

“Another Hero!” he shouts before toppling over onto his side dropping his book.

Harry bites his lip and Louis laughs and multiple people shout, “Drink!”

Niall hands him his cup and he does, much to Harry’s pleasure. Louis needs to keep up. They both need to be on the floor by the time they have been united in holy matrimony. Which makes Harry blush deep red, he is about to marry Louis. What a time and what a night this is indeed.

“Nothing certainer,” Harry says stumbling on the word. He is pretty sure that isn’t a word. Shakespeare made it up. “Nothing certainer. One Hero died defiled, but I do live.”

“Is certainer a word?” Louis mumbles from the floor.

Zayn sighs. “It’s a word. I’m pretty sure it’s a word.”

“Shh,” Harry says clearing his throat to continue. “And surely as I live, I am a maid.”

Niall laughs at that. “Drink,” Harry shouts pointing a finger at him. “And don’t insult my virtue.”

As Niall takes his drink Louis climbs back up to his feet.

“So we are basically married now,” he tells Harry.

Harry smiles and then his drunken brain is telling him that married people kiss. And that is how he ends up lunging toward Louis.

His lips are met with the back of a hand when they hit Louis’ face. Nice. Harry peaks one eye open to see Louis is kissing him he has just stuck his hand between them. He is so not as drunk as Harry is.

Harry pulls away with a pout. “Don’t you want to kiss me,” he says without thinking twice.

Louis stumbles over his words. “I do,” he says blushing.

“So do I,” Harry says grinning and nodding his head. This is the moment. He knows everyone is probably watching them but he doesn’t care.

“Just not like that! I don’t want our first kiss to be a stage kiss,” Louis whispers, ducking his head down.

“Oh,” Harry smiles. “This isn’t a stage kiss. I just really want to kiss you,” he whispers back just as secretive.

Louis’ face lights up. “Same,” he says before lunging toward Harry and wrapping his arms around the back of his neck. Their lips connect and they both taste like cheap beer and vodka shots but it’s perfect because Harry is _kissing_ Louis. It’s sweet and sharp before Niall is pulling them apart as they giggle into each other’s chests.

“ _That_ was definitely breaking character,” he says shoving them their glasses of beer.

Harry doesn’t let Louis take his hands off him and he ducks his head into his shoulder to laugh. He doesn’t agree with Niall, that was just showing how people act when they get married but he drinks anyway.

He does end up on the floor like he predicted. But he ends up on the floor in Louis arms which he wasn’t expecting at all.

 

Harry wakes up and he is in a foreign bed. _Holy shit_. This is Louis’ bed.

Harry pulls the blankets up closer to his chin. There is a spider man poster on the wall and a mug on the side table that says Yorkshire tea. This is definitely Louis’ room.

Harry remembers kissing him. He vaguely remembers rolling around on the floor laughing. But then it’s a bit fuzzier. He remembers someone carrying him over their shoulders. But he doesn’t think it was Louis, if he remembers correctly Louis was also on someone’s shoulders kicking them and shouting.

Harry looks at the pillows on the opposite side of the bed. They are untouched. He must have slept here alone then.

He pulls back the covers and slips out realising he is just wearing his pants. He scans the room for his trousers finding them folded nicely on a chair at the desk. He tries not to pry but he scans the pictures stuck of a cork board on the wall. While he shuffles into his jeans he spots a few people with their cheeks squeezed against Louis’ and he can recognise a few of them. He figures the small girls he has never seen before must be Louis’ sisters.

Harry sneaks out without putting a shirt on. He questioned if it was appropriate to wear no trousers out he settled in the middle opting for bottoms with no shirt. He looks casual not like he is freaking out just a bit.

He creeps down the hallway and is pleasantly surprised to find not only Louis and Zayn but Niall as well.

“Hi,” Harry says startling them all.

“Hi sleepy head,” Niall replies without looking.

“Harry,” Louis croaks out, “Morning.”

“Can I’ve some water please?” Harry says pointing toward the kitchen. Harry grabs a glass and fills it in the sink and it feels so good down his dry throat.

Surprisingly he doesn’t feel that bad, he thinks he has slept the worst of it off since it’s almost lunch time. He settles down on the sofa next to Louis giving him a shy smile and mouthing another, “Hello.”

Louis smiles back from behind a piece of toast he is munching on. “Thanks for the bed,” Harry says.

Louis shakes his head, his eyes sparkling just a little bit as his grin grows. Harry likes that even though he probably feels like shit he is smiling because of him. “Don’t mention it. Apparently I insisted.”

“He did,” Niall says from next to them, “Wouldn’t let you sleep on the couch.”

“Wouldn’t stop rambling about your back,” Zayn sighs.

Harry blushes instantly. He has mentioned that once when he was carrying a box of props for Louis. He remembered.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Harry smiles turning his attention back to Louis who has shrunk down trying to hide himself between the cushions.

“I don’t think I had a choice. I don’t remember it,” Louis muffles out. Harry can hear his very adorable embarrassment between the lines.

 

Things aren’t awkward. They are just a bit confusing. They don’t talk about the kiss they just smile at each other coyly, mostly because Harry is unsure if Louis can remember it. He hopes he does.

Louis and Harry are waiting in line for coffee at what Harry said was a cute little shop down from the library and what Louis described as ‘it looks a bit like someone got it out a second hand bin.’

And someone taps Harry on the shoulder. Normally that would be alright, but Harry internally grumbles. It had taken two whole hours for Harry to work up the courage to ask Louis if he wanted to spend some time together. He even passed it off so casually that he wanted some help with his course work. Louis has been there done this before. And now he has strangers taking his Louis time.

He spins around and is met with the eyes of Nick Grimshaw.

“Harry Styles,” he says not even looking at Harry but looking at Louis who folds his arms together.

“Hi,” Harry replies casually.

“Louis Tomlinson,” Nick continues.

Louis turns around to inspect the muffins in the cabinet like they are way more important than this conversation.

“Is that your boyfriend?” Nick asks Harry with a wink. Harry tries to take a little step back. “Um,” he mumbles unsure. Louis isn’t his boyfriend, easy answer. He doesn’t want to give Louis the wrong idea though. He would quite like him as a boyfriend. “No.”

“You do know he is the president of the drama club don’t you Harry?” he says like he pities poor little Harry and his misguided crush.

“Don’t you have better ways to spend your time Nick,” Louis grumbles as he inspects scones. “Like I don’t know. Fluffing your hair up, teaching first years to be pretentious and writing about how shit my club is.”

“I normally do those after lunch,” he replies before turning his attention back to Harry. “Are you coming to the quiz night?”

Harry isn’t sure. “He’s not,” Louis answers for him.

Alright. He guesses he isn’t, Harry shrugs. And then he is getting pulled out of his favourite coffee shop and onto the street.

“Hey,” Harry shouts at Louis, “They make the best banoffee pie Louis!”

“I’ll make you your very own pie,” Louis huffs on the side walk.

Harry doubts he would do that, he might try but fail he likes the suggestion however. It doesn’t make up for the fact that their maybe date has been cancelled. “Why did you do that?”

Louis scuffs his shoe against the concrete path and avoids eye contact with Harry. He looks like a child before he stops and looks up with folded arms. “I don’t like him.”

“I can tell,” Harry sighs.

“He was flirting with you!”

“Do you really think so?”

Louis throws his hands up in the air. “Yes.”

Harry isn’t so sure. “Isn’t this all part of the master plan?”

Louis then realises they are standing in the middle of a side walk arguing while people running to lectures bump into them. He slumps his shoulders forward and says, “Let’s go back to mine. I’ll make you pie if you want pie.”

“It’s not that simple to make Lou,” Harry replies. He can’t help but giggle at the way in which Louis rolls his eyes.

“If there is a will there is a way Harry.”

It turns out Harry was right. He sits on the bench while Louis tries to find a recipe online that he has the ingredients for. It also turns out it is impossible to make banoffee pie without banana or toffee (or a pie tin or basic baking skills). Harry settles for ice cream and tea, it’s a good compromise. The company is what he wanted anyway.

“Here,” Louis says when he flops down on the couch next to Harry. He hands him a copy of the magazine distributed by the student association. Harry hardly ever picks up a copy of _The Archeif_  because he is lazy and maybe it’s good he doesn’t if the look Louis is giving him is any indication.

He puts his bowl of strawberry down in his lap while he thumbs through the pages. He reaches what he assumes Louis is looking to show him on page 6.

“They ranked all the clubs?” Harry says aloud.

“Guess where we are,” Louis sighs staring at his mint choc chip.

Harry finds them very last. Which he thought might be impossible considering there is a club dedicated to origami. “How did we rank lower than the pokeveristy club?” Harry shouts pointing to the very comically named pokemon club.

“Wouldn’t I love to know. They just hate us.”

Harry scans the list. “We only got half a star.”

Louis nods his head. “Like alright, I know the club used to be terrible. When I joined the president was this guy called Albert who only wanted to role play bad Lord of the Rings fan works but we’ve turned it around.”

“’The drama club is often described as the most banal place on earth and they are right. That is about all we have to say about that, as someone once said you can’t join drama club it’s social suicide,’” Harry recites. “That is very rude,” he says tossing it across the room.

“Did you check who was number one?” Louis asks.

“I don’t think I wanted to,” Harry pouts. He is personally offended even though he has barely been a part of this club for a month.

“You don’t,” Louis says. And that is all the answer Harry needs to know exactly what and who got the number one spot.

“It’s rude and cheating.”

Louis laughs at Harry’s permanent pout that he can’t seem to get rid of. “I know,” Louis sigh with a smile, “Where are their journalistic morals?”

“Right,” Harry replies just as cross as ever. “We need a plan.”

“Do you have any ideas?”

Harry shakes his head. “Not really.”

“Neither that’s the problem. Let’s worry about it later.”

“But-“

“Hey! Let’s watch that movie you want to see,” Louis says grabbing his laptop from the floor and placing it on the table.

“Don’t you have a class to go to?” Harry ponders. He is pretty sure Louis said he had a class to go to.

“Don’t _you_ have a class you should be at right now?” Louis pins it back on him.

Oops. “I won’t tell if you don’t tell.”

“Alright, let’s watch this movie about dicks.”

“It’s not about dicks, it’s about aliens,” Harry says trying to punch Louis in the arm, he fails. Louis grabs his hand and keeps it that was for the next two hours. It’s very nice.

 

“I’ve called you here-“

“We were already here, this was a meeting Louis-“ Liam whines.

“Fine,” Louis cuts him off, “I’ve held you back night because I trust you all.”

Louis trusts Harry. That’s cute. Harry tries not to get all giddy about it. He puts on his serious business face and leans back in his chair. Then he thinks maybe he shouldn’t feel so special because Niall is still here and if Louis trusts Niall maybe Harry shouldn’t trust his judgement.

But the point still stands he is sitting here next to Louis’ two best friends.

After their rousing club meeting in which they debated which musical they should see (Harry’s choice of _Mamma Mia_ got cut down) Louis had kept them behind. Obviously it is for super top secret scheme planning talks.

“On Tuesday night at 6:30 the film club will hold it’s screening in the library basement,” Louis says pointing his pen to a hastily drawn map on the white board.

The four other boys nod along as Louis draws a red circle around the location. “Harry, what movie is it?”

“ _Annie Hall_ ,” Harry says off the top of his head.

“Well we are going to make them watch _Twilight_ instead.”

Liam immediately puts his fist down on the table and Niall laughs. Zayn seems impassive like he saw this coming.

“How are we supposed to pull that off without getting caught?” Harry ponders aloud. Liam sighs, “We are going to get caught.”

“We aren’t,” Louis sighs making eye contact with Harry and shaking his head. It installs a bit of hope into Harry, which is nice considering he is pretty certain he is going to be the major piece in this chess game.

“It will be worth it even if we do,” Niall adds.

“It’s easy,” Louis says turning back to his board. “Harry distracts Nick.”

“What?” Harry groans. Nope. He is a terrible actor.

“Don’t worry H, you’ll be fine,” Louis says as he draws an X on the map. “With him distracted and away from the sound room, Zayn sneaks in and puts the new film in the drive.”

Liam raises his hand. “There will be someone else in there.”

“I know that is where I come in, I’ll have to get them out before Zayn goes in,” Louis says drawing two new X’s and arrows indicating their movements.

“Then they will know we had something to do with it,” Liam adds.

“That is the whole point Lee-um. We don’t want them to catch us but we do want them to know it was us.”

Niall puts his hand up. “Where do I come in?”

“You’re on look out,” Louis says placing his spot outside by the exit doors, but close enough he can see the entire goings on. “You make sure Harry doesn’t screw up.”

“Hey,” Harry says with no avail.

Louis smiles at him so much his eyes crinkle. “Or I screw up.”

 

As like their tradition has held for the last few weeks Louis walks Harry back to his dorm. Despite the fact that it means it will take him twice as long to walk back to his flat and he will have to do it alone.

 “You don’t have to walk me back,” Harry lies. “It takes you twice as long, and besides the campus is pretty safe. I was talking to Perrie and Jade, we have really good lighting and security surveillance, did you know there is this thing called take back the night where-“

“Harry,” Louis says. He stops walking. “It’s fine. I know. I just like spending time with you.”

“Good,” Harry smiles. “I like that too.”

He thinks now might be the best chance he might ever get. He has been waiting all week to work up the courage to just bring it up, but between interrupted semi maybe sort of dates he hasn’t figured it out. So he just jumps in the deep end. “Louis, we kissed,” he states, like a fact because it is a fact.

Louis arches his eyebrows. “We did.”

“We did,” Harry repeats.

“We also went on a date,” Louis says quieter.

“We did,” Harry repeats again. Then his mind muddles. “We did?”

Louis blushes. “I watched that movie with you and listened to you explain how spaceships are phallic. I gave you Liam’s strawberry ice cream I’m not supposed to touch.”

“That was Liam’s!” Harry cries. Oops. He shoves Louis’ shoulder making him smile.

“It’s okay if you don’t want it to be a date, it’s alright if you-“

“No,” Harry says quickly cutting him off. “I thought it was.”

“Oh,” Louis smiles again. He lets the silence settle as he keeps smiling up at Harry watching his mouth curve up. “We kissed,” he repeats again.

“We did. I liked it.”

“Same,” Louis repeats, reaching his hand up to grab the back of Harry’s neck. He has to get just on the tip of his toes slightly Harry notes. He thought he might have to.

“I like you,” Louis whispers into his cheek.

Harry stops his hands mid movement as they creep up toward touching Louis. “You do?” he says, he can’t help the grin that over takes his face and the way his eyes sparkle.

“I really do,” Louis says closer to his mouth now. “I like your silly stories and the way you wore a scrunchie in your hair that one time. Your mouth is also pretty nice, same with your dimples and your hair. But I think I like your penis jokes the best and the fact that you will do silly things like join a club for me.”

Harry blushes and hides his face is Louis’ neck hiding his contentment in his shirt. “I didn’t just join the drama club for you,” Harry mumbles.

Louis lets out a huge laugh and Harry pulls back. “You did what?”

He meant joining the film club didn’t he. Oops.

If Harry thought his face was red before he knew nothing. “You were really cute that morning you came begging for members at my lecture,” he sighs.

“I can’t believe you joined because you thought I was hot,” Louis laughs. “That is so cute.”

Harry can’t get anything else out because as soon as he opens his mouth again Louis is attaching his lips to Harry’s in a kiss. His face still burns but for different reasons as he feels the press of lips and tongue beneath a street light.

 

If they were trying to blend in they were doing a terrible job because everyone apart from Harry turned up looking like they were auditioning for a spy movie. Harry looked like he was auditioning for the part as their simple farmer friend.

Like actually full on black outfits with stupid spy equipment and maps. Harry figures they go all out or nothing, dramatics and all that. They have a reputation to uphold.

“You didn’t actually give me a job Louis,” Liam whispers. They are crouched down behind a stone wall outside the library. They are pretty concealed by the bushes and shrubbery but it doesn’t really matter as no one is walking past.

“You’re just here as moral support. If you want plausible deniability leave now,” Louis retorts back.

Liam folds his arms together and Louis sighs. “Fine. You’re like the base camp. You wait here with our supplies, if anyone fucks up they come back here.”

“When we are all finished we meet back here,” Harry says. It seems like a logical idea and a good spot they are all familiar with. It is also just a jump away from the library but still far enough they can get here then escape without any worries.

“Good thinking Harry,” Louis says, with a grin. Niall looks between Louis and Harry and winks. He seems to have a fourth sense. Harry narrows his eyes at Niall and shakes his head slightly.

All Harry and Louis did was kiss, and then hold hands as they walked back to the dorms. Nothing scandalous. But no matter how many times Harry tells Niall that he will continue to wink and tell Harry he doesn’t need to lie.

Harry doesn’t really want Louis to know the first thing he did when he got back to his dorm was sit on the end of Niall’s bed and blab on and on about him.

“We need a signal,” Zayn says. “You know to communicate non-verbally.”

Louis bites his bottom lip and then stares at his hands.

“Thumb up, for good and ready to go. If someone does it to you, you do it back,” Louis explains using visual aids.

Liam nods but asks, “What about if it’s bad and it’s not clear?”

“Um,” Louis ponders, staring down at his fist. “Westside?”

“No,” Niall laughs.

“No,” Harry agrees and, “No,” Liam finishes.

“I liked that idea Louis,” Zayn says, obviously the only one on his team.

“Just do the sign for N then,” Louis says placing his left hand flat and placing his two fingers from his right flat on his palm.

Louis starts handing out supplies then. Zayn stuffs things down his shirt and Louis gives a map to Niall. Then he is eyeing them all carefully and asking, “If you want to back out you can back out now. Are we ready to go?”

Harry has an itching under his skin. This really isn’t illegal. He just doesn’t want to get on probation or something during his first semester. His mum would probably be disappointed in that.

“Do you want to back out Harry? It’s okay if you do,” Louis says quietly. Harry realises everyone else has given their affirmative while he remained silently pondering.

He shakes his head and then nods it. “I’m in.”

Liam leans against the stone wall and cuddles their bags to his chest as they all stand up.

“Niall go first,” Louis says pushing him out from behind the shrubbery. He gives him a salute and sneaks off as casually as possible.

“Stop looking like you’re running toward your own demise” Louis says, rubbing a reassuring hand down Harry’s back. It relieves some of his tension.

“Feels like it,” he says back.

“I’ll visit you in prison,” Louis winks.

“No. If I go down you go down with me, we’re like Bonnie and Clyde.”

Louis arches his eyebrows at the first part of the sentence. “Going down?” he smiles coyly.

Harry pinches his shoulder and blushes. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Pst,” Zayn whispers from his stop leaning just to get a glimpse of the door when Niall disappeared. Harry and Louis stop their Harry and Louis bubble to give him some attention.

“It’s all clear. He gave the signal.”

Harry feels his heart rate pick up and double. It probably shows on his face. Louis grips his forearm, letting his thumb rub little circular motions around and around. “You’ll be fine. Remember Harry, you’re an actor this is no different than being Hero.”

Harry nods. He’s right.

“And I’ll be right there,” Louis says, leaning in to peck his lips against Harry’s in a hurried kiss. They don’t have much time.

Harry can’t believe he is practically living in a spy movie.

He jumps out from behind the fence and walks toward the library his boots clicking against the cobble stones. As soon as he enters the doors and has to take the stairs down to the basement he passes Niall. He tries his best to ignore him and act bored and discontent with life to blend in.

He has two tasks upon entering the room. The first is to make sure that almost everyone has left the foyer and is inside the hall. Harry scans the room as he walks, only a few girls are gathered in one corner trying to persuade their friend to stop crying and in another a couple are snogging. He thinks he’s checked the first one off the list then.

He thinks Niall already knows this as well, he wouldn’t have sent him down if it wasn’t the right time. The next stop is to find Nick. Harry bypasses the free drinks and snacks to loiter around the doors of the hall they are using. He can’t spot him. And that is a problem.

“Hey,” he says to a short brown haired girl that walks past him. She stops and gives him lazy smile. “Have you seen Nick?”

“He’s in the sound booth,” she says before she starts walking off again.

Maybe they waited too late.

Harry scrambles to the next door. He takes a deep breath before pushing it open. Sure enough, the person he is looking for is in there.

“Hi,” Harry says casually because he is causal, totally chill.

Nick turns around on his chair and smiles at him. Harry quickly notes there is only one other person in the room fiddling with the computer. Louis had said there would be two.

“Hello Harry, who do I owe the pleasure of speaking to you to?”

Harry tries his best to act friendly and coy. He also tries very hard to not stumble over his words. “Can I just talk to you? Alone?”  he says pointing out the door, “Out there.”

He sighs only slightly, looking down at the time on his phone before standing up. He follows Harry out the door. And Harry gives himself an internal pat on the back. He is killing this already.

Harry makes sure to take them just far enough away from the door that they can’t really watch it but so he can see if anyone gives him a signal. He also makes sure to position them so Nick is facing away from the door and Harry has the perfect view.

He really hopes Louis and Zayn are well on their way. He doesn’t have much material to go on here.

“Look, I just wanted to apologize,” Harry starts slowly. He is so fucking glad he was gifted with the natural ability to draw words out so they take twice as long.

“About the other day,” he adds, trying to be as vague as possible.

“In the café?”

Harry smiles. “Yes. I’m sorry, it’s just I don’t think Louis likes you that much. I’m not sure why.”

Nick nods. “I haven’t got a clue either. That boy sure does hold a grudge.”

Harry nods even though it pains him.  He then sees a flicker in the corner of his eye that he could recognize anywhere. He catches the slightest glimpse of Louis’ backside disappearing into the projection room.

That is good. But then Zayn follows quickly after. That was not part of the plan. There was supposed to be a bit of distance. Shit.

“I learnt a new word the other day Harold that I feel like you would like,” Nick rambles.

“Yea,” Harry says completely zoned out of the conversation.

Does he send Niall a signal? Does he faint?

“Ennui means a feeling of listlessness or dissatisfaction with life due to have no real occupation. Do you feel that way Harry?”

“Maybe,” Harry says, his eyes shifting from the door to Nick and back again. He is no idea what Nick is going on about now. Like he is literally just talking shit. 

Someone’s thumb reaches out the door and gives him the positive signal. He has never been more relieved. He just does not know what the fuck is going on in there.

“You should cure that feeling by taking a real major role in the club, I think you’d make a good treasurer one day. Maybe even president.”

“I’ll try think about it,” Harry says with a grin. He won’t.

Louis creeps out the door and puts his hood over his head. Only a few seconds later Zayn follows after him.

“Please do,” he says again.

Harry has no fucking idea what to do. He feels like he has completely forgotten his briefing on this part. Does he fake his own death? Join witness protection and change his name?

“Okay,” he smiles.

Then somewhere people start laughing and Nick turns around. Harry is pretty sure _Twilight_ just started playing. And now he really needs to get out of here.

While Nick is distracted staring at the noise coming from the door someone grabs him by the collar and yanks him backwards around the corner.  Harry trips over his own legs.

“Hurry up, don’t stop,” Louis whispers before they literally make a run for it through the foyer and down the hall, past the snogging couple and up the stairs.

Harry shouldn’t have worn boots. Every step he takes along the laminate flooring echoes against the walls.

“Why are you holding a keyboard?” Harry asks Louis. Because he is holding a computer’s keyboard and that means they are seriously getting in trouble for this. Harry sees Zayn has the computers mouse in his hand.

“Relax. We’ll take them back. It will stall them for a while. I also taped the disk drive shut."

“I’m never ever going to be able to go back,” Harry giggles as the reach the doors and Zayn grabs Niall by the collar.

They don’t stop laughing and running until they reach Liam behind the wall. Liam looks like he has been having a rough time.

“What the fuck happened?” Niall laughs.

“We panicked,” Zayn says raising his arms in a shrug.

“Zayn missed his mark, next thing I know we are both standing there in this booth.”

“What did you do?” Harry says trying to catch his breath.

“Zayn snogged the sound booth girl. I put the movie in and pressed play.”

Liam looks traumatised. “Why are you holding a keyboard? We have to get out of here.”

He grabs all of their belongings and they all make a quick escape.

“I can’t believe you kissed her,” Harry laughs. He is glad Louis didn’t kiss her, he doesn’t know how he would feel about that.

“I just looked over my shoulder and Zayn was going for it,” Louis explains almost doubling over with laughter. “You did so good,” he says grabbing Harry’s face with both of his hands. Harry can’t help the way he grins at the approval from Louis. He knew he killed it. 

 

Like any good celebration they do it with style. That is code for drinking cheap beer, Zayn pretending he’s a DJ and Niall inviting almost everyone he knows to a flat he doesn’t live in.

Harry stops paying attention to any of their actions somewhere between walking back and when he manages to get Louis to dance to ABBA on a table top with him. He really hopes that the message from Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!  (A Man After Midnight) gets across.

It does.

Harry’s back hits the back of Louis’ door as he closes it and shoves him up beside it. They close the people in the living room and kitchen out but the music still provides a repetitive thumping against the four walls that contain them.

Louis’ eyes are so blue, Harry thinks before pushing his forehead against his and capturing his lips. It’s so different than the two other times, maybe because they are so high on adrenalin and confined to the point in which their feelings are racketing against the walls. They make the same sound as the music. It buzzes in Harry’s veins.

Louis lips are starting to feel familiar. It’s a bit like coming home. They are soft and Harry parts his own letting him in, as Louis’ hands pull up his shirt from his hips. He palms at the soft skin he finds, but pulls his lips away from Harry’s leaving them pink and raw.

“You were so good,” Louis says close to his ear.

“Thanks,” Harry giggles. He isn’t drunk, just love drunk. He is in this cute boys room kissing him this doesn’t happen often.

“I’m serious,” Louis sighs, taking his thumb and swiping it against Harry’s bottom lip. “I sound so stupid. I like you so much.”

Now it’s Louis turn to get embarrassed as he ducks his head down to hide himself. Harry feels his heart thump against his rib cage. He can’t help the way he keeps laughing. Definitely love drunk.

“You’re my favourite person Louis,” Harry sighs. “I like you a lot.”

“The feeling is mutual,” Louis says kissing Harry’s neck now, just peppering it with little pecks.

“It’s mutual, we’ve discussed it,” Harry giggles as he pulls Louis away from his neck and reconnects their lips. It’s nice and Louis keeps on tracing circular patterns up his hips and onto his stomach.

It prompts Harry to not be shy and let his hands wander all over Louis. Specifically down to his arse. It’s then as he gets a firm grip that he decides he’s all in.

“Lou,” Harry says pulling away, “Can I give you a blow job?”

When Louis doesn’t say anything Harry thinks he has over stepped so he desperately lets out a sigh of, “Please.”

That might just be what Louis needs though because he nods and places a palm on Harry’s cheek tracing him over as if he is just checking to make sure he is in fact real.

“Yes. Yeah,” Louis says as he keeps nodding. Harry nods as well mirroring him and pecks against his lips one final time before spinning them around. He places Louis against the door where he was leaning and Louis steadies his shoulders because of his clumsy feet.

Louis laughs and Harry likes it, it just might be his favourite sound.

Harry sinks down to his knees on the carpeted floor and pulls his hands up to meet Louis’ own. They connected together as they tackle the feat of getting his jeans off his legs and undone. They are quite tight but it’s worth the effort. After that Harry grabs onto his pants and tugs them down.

And then it’s sort of all or nothing.

Harry tries not to let his hand shake as he reaches out to grab onto Louis’ cock. It’s just him and Louis he remembers. He looks up at Louis as he drags his hand back and forth slowly. He doesn’t think he has ever felt as safe as he feels now as Louis looks down at him like he is his entire world.

He can hear people shouting and laughing. Some stupid eighties playlist they made as a joke is playing, Tiffany keeps crooning _I think we’re alone now there doesn’t seem to be anyone around_ but all he can see is Louis. That’s all that matters. Because Louis watches a smile slowly creep onto Harry’s face and he mirrors him, putting a gentle hand through his hair and watching him lick his lips.

“You’re so cute,” Louis murmurs.

“Don’t say that now,” Harry giggles, “I’m not cute I’m sexy.”

“Alright,” Louis whispers back before he closes his eyes and the back of his head hits the door. Harry tries to get all of his mouth onto Louis as quick as possible. It works. He bobs his head down and then pulls back up. He is pretty happy with his efforts if the noise Louis makes is any indication of how this is going down.

Harry’s sexual experience is limited to say the best but he is good at this. Well, at least he likes to hope he is or else he’s got nothing to go on.

He uses his hand to reach the parts he cannot get with his mouth and goes down again. This time taking more of Louis’ cock into his mouth and working his tongue. Louis hits his head against the door again and whines deep and low.

“Don’t hurt your head,” Harry says seriously concerned, pulling away from mouthing at the head. He also thinks it’s kind of a funny joke as he swipes his tongue against the head of Louis’ cock and lets out a breathless giggle.

Louis nods and smiles down at him, brushing Harry’s curls off his forehead in a caring manner. Harry smiles before ducking his head down again. This time he goes back and forth not giving in to any desire to pull off. His hand works quick strokes and his mouth is a wet heat. He also tries his best to be as loud as Louis is being. It’s not like anyone can hear them. Louis tries his best to not knock his head against the door instead he pounds his fist against the wood.

Harry keeps up the same rate, working himself into a rhythm and toward his goal. He starts to feel Louis losing it and he tries his best to work him toward his climax.

“Harry,” Louis whines tugging on his hair, as gentle as possible like the curls would disappear if he went too hard.

Harry hums and goes faster until Louis comes down his throat. Harry tries his best not to splutter or spill and before he swallows it down. Louis still has a grip on his hair but he finally eases his grip and slumps against the door.

“Good?” Harry says leaning up to grab his jacket and pull him down. Louis falls to his knees and into Harry. He doesn’t give an answer other than a firm nod.

“Better than words?”

“Yes,” Louis says before he kisses him in thanks. It’s an awkward kiss because Harry can’t stop laughing until they find themselves lying paralleled on the floor together.

When he wakes up in Louis’ bed the next morning it’s different than the time before. He knows exactly where he is and doesn’t need to decipher the Spiderman poster or the cup on the side table. Plus Louis is wrapped around behind him.

 

“And then what?”

Harry frowns at Niall across the room from behind his text book. “When I woke up he was playing with my hair and had made me a tea.”

Niall coos across the room and bats his eyelashes. “What a cute boyfriend you have there.”

Harry bites his bottom lip between his front teeth. Define boyfriend. “We haven’t really talked about that.”

“What?”

“He is way too cool to be going out with me Niall!” Harry whines tossing the introduction to iambic pentameter to the side. “I’m a lowly first year student and he is getting his bloody masters in things I don’t even understand.”

 “But the way you feel about each other is mutual,” Niall states. “You just need to talk about it. Just ask him to be your boyfriend.”

“We haven’t even been on a proper date!” Harry sighs. He picks his text book up again. He doesn’t have time to not study out of spite.

“What a lie. You’ve been on a plenty of dates.”

Harry isn’t going to admit he sort of agrees with that. “I mean a _real_ date where you know it’s a date before not after it happens.”

He takes Niall’s words to heart despite all his protests. He just needs to be cool about it and talk about it with Louis, which he will do. Eventually. 

 

But the next time he sees Louis he is practically breathing fire in front of the entire club.

“There is a huge article about us in the magazine out Monday-“

“How do you know that?” Perrie asks.

“We just know,” Eleanor says waving her wrist about. “I know people who write for it. Apparently someone has drawn a cartoon version of Louis and it’s the cover picture. Trust me.”

“Well this was to be expected-“Liam starts.

“Shut up,” Zayn finishes.

“Hey,” Sophia cries from beside Liam. “How about we all be nice.”

Harry tries his best to remain silent and impartial.

“We just need to stop it,” Leigh Anne says as she raises her hand.

Harry stops his silence and adds, “We need a plan.”

Louis shrugs and then drops his head into his arms on the table. “It’s already sent to print.”

That’s when everyone just starts talking over each other. The girls blaming each other, people shouting about if it’s even worth it to worry and anyone who didn’t know about the hijacking plan up in arms about how they weren’t invited.

Harry then understands what Louis had meant during that first meeting. It is hard to work together when everyone is so head strong and vocal.

“Hey,” Louis says slamming a fist against the table.

The noise stops being frantic at this point, it lulls down to a faint murmur as everyone slowly slinks back into their seats. Niall carefully gets off the table.

“Stop fighting,” he says looking at all of them before he sits back down in his seat and folds his arms. The silence after that is deafening.

“Well,” Harry says, after he has worked up the courage to say something. “The magazines are always in the stands on a Monday morning. Why don’t we just get rid of them?”

“They stack them on a Sunday night,” Eleanor adds, obviously liking where this topic is going.

“That’s perfect then,” Zayn says nodding toward Louis who gives them all a weak smile.

“But we get rid of them? They’ll just stack them again.”

That is when Harry has his brilliant idea. “We take the magazines out. We leave flyers for the club.”

“So we fill the magazine stands with drama club advertisements,” Louis says, looking directly at Harry who nods along.

“That way everyone who normally grabs a magazine will instead get us.”

Louis stands up and grabs his whiteboard marker. “Alright. Who’s in?” he asks as he starts drawing the map of the campus on the board, etching small X’s to where every single one of the stands are located.

Instead of Louis walking him back to his dorm he just breathlessly asks if he wants to just stay with him at his flat. Harry nods because yes, that is a marvellous idea.

Louis makes them hot chocolate and Liam suspiciously eyes Harry when they bump into each other in the hallway. It seems that everyone is about to get clued onto their relationship.

“Since we will be split into pairs on Sunday night, do you think maybe you’d like to be my pair?” Louis asks Harry from his place looking down on him from above. He rests one of his hands on his cheek.

“It would be my honour,” Harry blushes, because it really would.

“Good,” Louis grins back. He then kisses Harry until he can’t feel his lips anymore and they roll off the bed onto the floor causing a very loud thud and a visit from a grumpy sleep deprived Zayn.

 

They all meet under the tree behind the clock tower wearing black from head to toe at 4:30 in the morning. Harry and Louis arrive holding hands and Harry is pleasantly surprised that they don’t let go of each other. He still hasn’t asked Louis if he wants to be his boyfriend but all the signs are looking good.

Perrie and the girls arrive holding boxes filled with flyers Zayn designed and they printed. And they are distributed evenly between the pairs or groups. When that is done everyone double checks they are going to their single assigned box and not to another, that way they can cover all of them evenly.

“If you stumble upon a security guard just hide,” Louis explains.

Perrie’s hand shoots up. “There will be hardly any, about two or something at this time,” she explains, when everyone looks at her strangely she adds, “I’m in charge of campaigning to get more, especially on Friday and Saturday nights everyone deserves to feel safe. Sunday is quiet we’ll be alright.”

 “Once you’ve emptied this box fill it again with the magazines and bring them back here,” Harry explains. He feels sort of guilty that they will be wasting so much paper. Maybe if they collect them all they can recycle them.

“Any other questions?” Louis whispers.

When everyone shakes their heads and remains silent he nods. “Go. And don’t get caught. Meet back here at 5.”

Everyone silently gathers their things and departs on their differing ways. Harry and Louis make sure everything is organised before stuffing the belongings behind the tree, they are the last ones to leave.

“Where is our mark?” Louis whispers leaning into Harry.

Harry pulls out his map and points, “The box outside the science student centre.”

Louis fumbles his hand around in the dark searching for Harry’s they intertwine their friends and Harry feeling a friendly swoop in his stomach. They transverse down stairs and cobblestone path ways in the dark, it’s difficult but they guide each other. Harry is tempted to grab his phone and give them a light but they survive with the light from the moon and the odd lamp or street light.

“We’re going to have to go around,” Louis frowns when they encounter locked doors. It means the shortcuts through buildings are cut off and they have to take the longest route possible.

That is when Harry hears the noise. “What was that?” he says, stopping dead in his tracks and spinning around. The swears he heard a movement.

“Shh,” Louis says clamping a hand over his mouth and crouching them down. The box was getting heavy in Harry’s hands, it’s nice to rest them for a second.

Something to the left of them creaks. And Harry jumps into a shrubby bush without thinking. The twigs and branches kind of hurt.

“Harry, it’s a cat,” Louis laughs reaching in and grabbing his collar to pull him out from hiding.

“Oh. Okay,” Harry laughs watching the tabby cat slink around Louis’ feet. Louis can’t stop laughing at Harry’s misfortune.

“You were so scared,” he says reaching down to pull a leave out of Harry’s hair.

“So were you,” Harry says, obviously not the truth.

“I wasn’t the one who nose dived into a rose bush.”

Harry stands up on wobbly feet and grabs his box of posters. Louis can’t stop laughing about it and trying to show Harry his shocked face until they reach the science centre.

“We’re going to be the last ones back,” Louis says as he quickly tries to grab all of the magazines and dump them out. Harry picks one up and stares at the cover in the moonlight.

“They didn’t do your butt any justice,” he mumbles.

Louis turns his head and looks down at the cartoon drawing of him. “Or my cheek bones.”

“I’m going to write a letter to the editor to complain,” Harry adds.

Louis laughs as quiet as possible as he starts dumping their very nicely drawn posters into the box filling it to the brim. They could never really get in trouble for changing the move at the film club, they could have gotten in trouble for stealing the computers keyboard and mouse but they returned them. This however seems a little more dangerous. Harry is sure the entire drama club can’t get called into disciplinary actions but he is sure they wouldn’t mind just putting all the punishment on Louis.

But he is pretty sure Louis doesn’t care and doesn’t mind. He looks joyful as he stares down at his master creation.

“You did good Harry,” he says with a smile, wrapping a arm around his waist.

“Lou,” Harry says. He knows they really need to get back, they have a long walk in the dark to find the others and make sure they have been as successful as they have been. But he thinks now is as good a time as ever. “Do you sort-of-maybe-want-to-“

“Harry, slow down.” Louis says resting a hand on his chest and smiling. “Speak clearly.”

“Right,” Harry says taking a deep breath. “Do you want to go see _West Side Story_ with me?”

“That isn’t showing for another two months,” Louis says kindly.

Harry tries not to fumble over his words when he says, “That is kind of the point. Do you want to be my boyfriend?”

When Louis opens his mouth Harry expects the worst. He looks sort of shocked. “Harry!” he shouts playfully. “You beat me to it. I had it planned out and everything.”

“Sorry,” is the first thing that comes out of Harry’s mouth on straight defence.

“I was going to cook you a fancy dinner and everything,” he whines with a smile.

“Is that a no then?”

Louis grabs his face in his hands. “It’s a yes. I’d love to.”

When Harry runs to his 8 o’clock lecture beyond sleep deprived in the morning he grabs a flyer instead of a magazine and watches people mill around with confused expressions. He smiles because he is in on the joke and he also has a really hot boyfriend. Monday fun day indeed.

 

Surprisingly, they get three new members after the flyer incident. And they get no academic or forceful punishment. Louis says it’s because the university higher ups don’t care if it doesn’t involve money, Harry says it’s because the magazine staff had it coming.

It still doesn’t get them their annual funding levy. They need two more members for that. It’s surprisingly doable Louis explains as he sits between Harry’s legs in his tiny single dorm room bed one night explain the logistics of everything. Harry thinks he actually could make a good treasurer if he could just get Eleanor to quit for some reason. 

“As we are all aware due to the bags under our eyes, it is nearing the end of semester,” Louis explains on what is probably their second to last club meeting for the semester, down in that same cold sad room.

Louis promises them all once they get their money back they won’t have to meet here in the room adjacent to his office. They can have an actual room or hall somewhere better where it doesn’t leak.

“And we all know what that means!” he shouts.

Harry isn’t sure what that means.

“ _Rocky Horror_!” Niall shouts. Okay. How does Niall know but Harry doesn’t? Everyone else joins in as Louis pulls back a sheet and reveals a very cool poster that Zayn has obviously made.

“We either draw names like last time. Or we choose,” Louis explains.

“I think choose,” Liam says, “There are definitely parts in this that people don’t want to play.”

“People won’t choose them then,” Zayn says agreeing slightly. “Then we’ll end up having to force people to play parts.”

“There is more than enough people than parts though,” Jade explains, “Only the people that want to have to.”

Barbara nods along from next to her. “And then anyone who doesn’t get a part will just get another job.”

“Like handing out popcorn or programs,” Eleanor adds.

“Or making sure no one hijacks our sound booth,” Sophia finishes.

Everyone laughs at that. Because that probably might be an issue they will have to closely guard.

“Alright,” Louis says turning to the board with a pen. “I see people looking at me strangely, namely you Harry. Let me explain.”

Harry is very thankful.

“We play the movie at midnight, but we basically have everyone dress up and play out the parts as well that is the shadowcast who act out the movie below. The audience is also supposed to participate. They do the dance and all that,” Louis explains.

“They also throw things at you in a nice way and shout things at the screen,” Zayn adds.

“They mean it all with good intention though,” Louis says waving his hands around because all the newbies look traumatised. “It’s just how it works. It’s interactive.”

“It’s really fun,” Leigh Anne says putting a hand on Perrie’s shoulder to comfort her. She looks like she might be opting out.

Harry feels like he is somewhere on the fence with this. He thought they were just watching a movie or doing a play. Not both at the same time.

“We won’t pick parts now, everyone can go and think about it. Or watch the movie if you haven’t seen it,” Louis says capping the pen. “But I do think we should pick parts rather than randomise it. But we have four girl parts and eight boy roles but you know me play whatever the hell you want they aren’t gendered.”

Harry smiles because his boyfriend is so cute.

Instead of studying that night Harry watches the Rocky Horror Picture Show with Niall who keeps on ruining it by giving away spoilers and telling him what will happen before it happens. It’s good and he thinks he figures out who he might want to play.

 

“Niall is rocky,” Louis says.

“Don’t I get a choice?” Niall asks knowing the answer.

The entire club answers him with a resounding, “No.”

That is done and dusted then. Looks like Niall will be the one walking around bronzed, blonde and in a tiny gold pair of underwear. If he asks Harry nice enough he will let him borrow his.

“Who wants to be Brad?”

“Liam does,” Zayn answers for Liam with a laugh.

“Liam it is then,” Louis says writing his name down.

“Don’t I get a choice?”

“You want to play someone else then?” Louis ask arching his eyebrows and stilling his pen.

“No. Not really,” Liam answers honestly.

Content with that answer Louis moves on to the next one. “Janet?”

When no one says anything Eleanor puts her hand up. “I’ll do it _again_ , if I have to.”

Louis laughs as he begins to write her name down. “You get to kiss Niall, how fun.”

Barbara’s mouth gapes open. “Um. I’ll do it if you don’t want to El.”

Interesting, Harry thinks. Louis thinks that is fine because Eleanor nods enthusiastically, obviously happy she won’t have to dance around in underwear this time.

“Me and Jade will be Magenta and Columbia,” Leigh Anne says. It seems like Perrie has decided to opt out of playing. And Jesy will play Betty Munroe.

Louis checks the list. “Who do you want to be Zayn?”

“Eddie,” Zayn smiles.

Louis laughs. “Just for the motorbike?”

“Yes.”

Louis doesn’t look like he will be asking Harry if he wants a part at all. Harry is alright with that, he knows most of the important roles get given to people who have been in the club longer and are older.

“I guess I’ll be Riff Raff,” Louis says. He checks the list again then he looks at Harry. “Do you want to be Dr. Everett V. Scott, Ralph, the criminologist or an extra?”

Harry bites his tongue. “Can- ah. Can I be Dr. Frank N Furter?”

Louis’ eyes grow to look like saucers very quickly and Harry knows exactly what he is thinking, he is dating a maniac.

 

Harry has a roll of tape in his mouth and his on his tip toes when Nick Grimshaw starts talking to him outside the student commons. He tacks on last piece of tape onto the corner of the _Rocky Horror_ poster before turning around and taking the roll out of his mouth. The poster looks nice.

“Hi,” Harry says trying to be really nice and friendly.

“Can you tell your boyfriend to leave us alone,” Nick says. Harry isn’t sure if he is using the boyfriend word to taunt him or if he actually knows Harry and Louis are super exclusive boyfriends who stayed up late last night watching _Grease_.

Harry tries to stand his ground. “Well. You should be nicer to him.”

Nick rolls his eyes at Harry’s weak little voice and Harry frowns.

“Seriously, you seem like a really nice person Nick but get a new hobby,” Harry says grabbing the rest of his posters.

“You stick to your club and we’ll stick to ours,” Harry says as he starts to walk away in search of another good place to stick a poster.

“Fine!” Nick shouts. “We still have more members than you anyway!”

“That isn’t even the point,” Harry sighs quietly, not turning back to take a look. He does however add loudly just for good measure, “We’ll we’ve got Rocky Horror and you don’t!”

He is pretty sure that won’t be the last of it. He wishes the clubs could just take a moments and step back because then they would really see how similar they are deep down beneath it all. He knows that is foolish dreaming but he just hopes that if Nick stops writing mean things then Louis will stop worrying it about it and they can all live in peace together.

 

“You look nice with no hair,” Harry giggles at Louis who sits directly opposite him wearing a half head of hair. He looks creepy, like really creepy but he is still his boyfriend and he still looks damn cute. 

“Hey,” Louis says reaching out to touch his almost bald head. “You look nice with a full face of make up.”

Harry isn’t going to lie. He looks amazing. He has nice blue eye shadow on and Perrie did his eyebrows really thick and black. He does look a bit creepy, that is the point though. But he looks hot. And his boyfriend knows it.

“Thank you,” he smiles. “You like the lipstick?”

Harry likes the lipstick. He waggles his eyebrows at Louis and swings his legs back and forth from his place on the make up table. 

Louis hums in approval. “Yes. But it means I can’t really kiss you good luck.”

Harry sighs. That is depressingly true. “You can kiss my forehead I guess,” he says picking up his tiny hand mirror to check his red lips. “It’s more like I can’t kiss you good luck.”

“I don’t need it,” Louis preens.

If Harry is being entirely honest Louis doesn’t actually need any luck. He will do great. He was born to do stuff like this, he lives and breathes for a stage. Harry is just tagging along for the fun of it. He isn’t worried however. Louis is practically playing his right hand man and all of his best friends he has made this year so far will be on stage with him cheering him along. So like, if someone throws a roll of toilet paper at his face he knows someone will be giggling right with him not at him.

Also he should probably be a bit concerned that he has no quarrels at all about going out in front of an audience in sparkly women’s underwear with a corset, stocking and garters. His boyfriend thinks he’s hot and that is all that matters. He is any exhibitionist anyway. The only part he is worried about is the heels. He isn’t graceful on flat shoes. This might be a disaster if he falls over. 

“You have to go on in a minute,” Harry says noticing that Eleanor with her clip board is getting increasingly more agitated and pointing at Louis.

He sighs. “Time Warp time,” Louis says leaning down to kiss Harry’s forehead softly. He gets a bit of powder on his lips he wipes off with a backhand.

“Break a leg,” Harry says back blowing him another kiss. 

Louis grins down at him before adding softly. “Everyone is going to go drinking after this. Do you want to go or just go back to mine?”

Harry feels a soft warmth spread from his finger tips down to his toes. “Yours.”

Louis winks at him because he already knew that answer to that. “Break a leg sunshine.”

Louis does amazing. As expected. Harry does alright he thinks, he keeps laughing though even though he doesn’t have the excuse of being drunk this time. It’s just so silly and fun he can’t help it.

But he has to pretend to be obsessed with Niall and make him in a machine. That makes him laugh more than he intended. But it’s actually funnier when Barbara has to climb on top of Niall, he looks like he might die right on the table.

Overall Harry gets to jump around on stage in makeup and sparkly lingerie so he counts it as a win. Especially if the way Louis keeps looking at him is anything to go by. Or the way he squeezes his arse when they take their bow.

 

 Harry lets Louis push him roughly backward so his knees hit the side of the bed and he falls back straight on top of the blankets and pillows. He makes a thud and his brown hair fans out like a halo against the sheets.

“Are you alright?” Louis says quickly, scared he has hurt him.

Harry laughs so much his eyes turn to slits and he can barely see Louis. He reaches out his hands and waggles his hands about trying to grab onto Louis and bring him down on top. He is successful because before he knows it he has a handful of him.

“Of course I’m alright,” Harry blinks up at him from below. “I’m gald you’ve got your hair back,” Harry says as he grabs a handful of it and yanks his head down toward his mouth.

He kisses him lazily like he has all the time in the world because it’s true, whenever he is with Louis it feels that way. It’s never rushed or panicked. It’s soft and easy like every day is a Sunday.

They just lie top of each other until the other decides to roll over or switch it up. Harry lets his hands wander up and down Louis’ back until he gets a firm grip on his shirt and pulls it over his head.

“I can’t believe you are still wearing this,” Louis says as soon as he is shirtless. He grabs the strap of Harry’s corset and flicks it. Harry laughs until his head hits the pillows. “That kind of hurt,” he says before he starts undoing the clips and locks.

Louis aids with and they work together silently, only giving each other coy little smiles every few seconds.

“I really like your eyelashes,” Harry says softly after a moment. They slip the top half of Harry’s outfit off.

“I like the green of your eyes,” Louis adds, evening the score. He keeps kissing Harry after that, tender and warm stopping every few moments so they can look into each other’s eyes as if the other isn’t real.

After a while of just kissing Harry starts to feel himself getting more and more worked up. The nice blow jobs and hand jobs they have being giving each other have been nice but Harry wants more tonight and he knows Louis does as well.

“Lou,” he says breaking away from the kiss. His lips are probably so red now, just like Louis’ are. “Let’s go all the way,” he whispers into his ear.

He can feel Louis’ smile form against his cheek. “No regrets? Just love?”

Harry laughs and tightens his grip on Louis’ back. He doesn’t want to let go not now and not ever. “Exactly.”

Louis pulls back a bit so he can look into Harry’s eyes properly and trace his face over. “You sure?” he asks with full sincerity and honesty.

Harry blinks about twice before he says quietly, “Yes, very sure indeed.”

That is all Louis needs really. He captures Harry back up into his arms kissing him with more intent now then just lazy snogging.

He carefully slips off his own trousers then pants swatting Harry’s greedy hands away so he just has to watch. Then he gently lays him out on the bed and slips the rest of his sparkly costume off so they are both naked and waiting.

Harry has only ever been with people he hasn’t cared for much. Nothing like this, not where he wants to so desperately memorise every part of Louis’ body and soul. He is pretty sure Louis feel the exact same way as well, if the way he touches him like he is made of glass is any indication.

He kisses Harry until Harry sees stars and he is so achingly hard and turned on he has to rut against Louis’ leg to find some release. It’s only then that he lets him lie back and he grabs some lube.

He only pushes one finger in at first and he keeps his other hand carefully threaded with Harry’s next to him. He fingers him slow and careful, to the point where everyone flick or movement is a reward that Harry fights to work toward.

It’s only when he pleads for more and more that Louis’ will oblige and give him another whispering countless praises and pleasing him with kisses to his chest, thighs and even mouth if he is lucky.

It feels like they fit, and Harry tells him these words exactly as he pulls his fingers out and pushes in.

Louis doesn’t stop holding his hand or telling how amazing he is and Harry doesn’t stop feeling like he is on top of the world for a long time after. Not when Louis is thrusting into him, not when he is coming and not when Louis is coming all over his thighs. He thinks he might never come down from this high that Louis has taken him to. It’s like from the moment he met him he knew it was bound to end like this. That is, Louis setting an impossibly high bar for the rest of the world to reach.

 

They get four new members and a nice fancy new room to hold their meetings in and a stall during orientation week. Harry passes all his finals (even Shakespeare) and makes it out alive of his first semester, with a really hot boyfriend to boot. Surprisingly, he doesn’t get kicked out no matter how many magazines he ends up stealing and defiling (it’s a lot, it becomes a bit of a habit in the name of love) because some people just can’t let it go and stop holding a grudge. He and Louis do go to _West Side Story_ and he does eventually tell him he loves in his car while their song (ABBA's Take A Chance on Me, because Harry insists) keeps on playing on repeat over and over again while they kiss and whisper, ‘I love you too’ over and over again.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Comments and Kudos are always lovely or you can always say hello to me on tumblr. Sorry for excess amounts of random things in here, I listened to a lot of ABBA writing this. There isn't actually a Deus ex Machina in the plot, but then Harry never did quite figure out if Louis was a god or not did he? ;) 
> 
> tumblr: itiswhatitisbutterfly.tumblr.com


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